Coal distillation apparatus



June 26, 1934. E, KRQPlwNlCKl l 1,964,639'

COAL DIS TILLATION APPARATUS INVENTOR.l

v A T TORNEYS.

June 25, 1934- E. KRoPlwNlcKl 1,964,639

COAL DISTILLATION APPARATUS Filed April 27. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 41 .11. FQE.

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ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 26, 1934 PATENT `FFICE COAL DISTILLATION APPARATUS Edmund Kropiwnicki, Warsaw, Poland Application April 2'7, 1931, Serial No. 533,343 In France January 13, 1931 3 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for carrying out dry distillation of coal and similar fuels, the said apparatus consisting of a series of vertical retorts through which the coal or r a similar fuel is conveyed from below upwardly,

for instance, by means of a worm and the generated gas is also discharged in the upper part of the retort. In hitherto known apparatus of this type, the recovered gas contained considerable quantities of heavy hydrocarbons owing to the insuiiiciently high temperature prevailing in the upper part of the retort so that before being used the gas had to undergo a complicated purifying process.

The present invention has for its object to obviate the above-mentioned drawback and especially to increase the quantity of gas recovered from a unit of weight of the coal. According to the present invention, this result is obtained by completely providing the aforesaid vertical retorts in the lire chamber heated by a return flame; the heating gases and the air for combustion being fed above to the fire chamber and the gases of combustion being discharged below. Owing to the use of the return flame for heating the vertical distillation retorts, such a high temperature is produced in the upper parts of the retorts that the hydrocarbons which are contained in the gas discharged in the upper part of the retort undergo a cracking and are -converted into gaseous hydrocarbons and hydrogen so that the quantity and the quality of the recovered gas are increased. Moreover, the use of the return ame for heating the distillation retorts permit the heat contained in the heating gases to be utilized to a greater extent than was possible in the hitherto known apparatus of this type. A constructional form of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings an apparatus is illustrated which is intended for the distillation of coal or the like according to the process described. Figure 1 shows this device in a longitudinal vertical section taken along line A-B in Figure 5, Figure 2 is a similar longitudinal section along line E-F in Figure 5, Figure 3 is a similar section along the line I-K in Figure 5, Figure 4 is a cross-section along line C D in Figure 1, Figure 5 is a cross-section taken along line G-H in Figure 1 and Figure 6 is a vertical section along line O-P of Figure 5.

The apparatus consists of a series of Vertical retorts 1 open at the bottom, the lower ends of which are fastened in the bottom of the combustion chamber 9. The lower ends of the retorts 1 are connected with cylinders or extensions 2, in the interior of which worms 20 are placed. The cylinders 2 project into the container 3, their ends not reaching the bottom of same.

The container 3 is periodically filled up with coal in a continuous manner, which coal is covered with water, the hydraulic seal for the retorts 1 being formed in this maner. Each one of the retorts is provided with a pipe which serves for discharging the gas or coke formed during the distillation. The pipes or flues 15 lead to the laterally inclined canals 11 which on their part lead to the vertical canals l2 the mouths 112 of which are arranged adjacent to the gas generator Z and situated in the lower part of the plant. The gas generator 17 is connected through a passage 114 with the combustion chambers 9 through the canal or flue 4 which feeds generator gases to the combustion chamber. The bottom of the combustion chamber 9 is provided with a canal 16 which is intended for discharging the combustion gases into a recuperator 6, whence the combustion gases, after complete heating of the air necessary for the combustion of the generator gases, escape into the chimney. Naturally, the top portion of the retorts will become the hottest.

The apparatus described above now works as follows:

The coal or the like situated in the container 3 is, by means of worms or screws 20 situated in cylinders 2, conveyed upwards and fed to the retorts 1, which are heated by means of a return flame in the combustion chamber 9. The column of coal or the like reaches a still higher temperature when it moves upwards through the retorts 1, and nally arrives at the mouth of the pipe or flue l5, and in the form of coke is forced into the inclined canals 11, see Fig. 6, from where it falls into the canals 12. In these canals the coke is cooled with steam, the water gas generated Y mixing with the gas being separated from the coal during the distillation in the retorts 1, and is discharged together with it through the pipe 14 into a gas purification plant, not shown, while the cooled coke feeds the gas generator 7. The gas separated during the distillation in the lower parts of the retorts 1 flows through the moving layers of coke in the upper retort part, the heavier hydrocarbons and the water contained therein decomposing and thereby augmenting the quantity of gas.

The generator gases flowing out from the gas generator '7 through the canal or flue 4 are preheated by the coke situated in the canals 12 in heat exchange and mix in the pipe 8 with the air flowing off through the canal or flue 5 from the recuperator 6, which air is heated by the combustion gases escaping through the pipe 16 from the combustion chamber 9 and produces the return ame in the combustion chamber.

Having ynow particularly described and ascertained the vnature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim isz- 1. A continuous coal distillation and gas generating apparatus, comprising a fcombustion chamber, an upright retort therein,rexposed tothe heat from the surrounding combustion gases, thereby forming zones in said retort iof gradually increasing heat, a fuel container for mixed coal and water below said retort, means in the retort adapted to convey the fuel from the container through 'heated -Zones y of the retort, a gas genera-- tor -below .said container, 7an felbovv pipe at the" outlet .of .said -retort situated inthe upper part of said lchamber .and :for withdrawing Athe water gas and ,coke discharged` lfrom lthe retort, -said connected with the lower end of the inclined canal adapted to receive the coke from the elbow.

2. A coal distillation apparatus comprising a combustion chamber, vertical distillation retorts in said chamber securedin the bottom thereof and adapted to be heated by the combustion gases in the chamber, a-recuperator, a containerrfor -mixed fuel and water below said bottom shaving fa seal for said retorts, downward extensions on said retorts projecting into said sealed container, means s aid extensions adapted to feed upwardly Without changev of direction the fuel mixture from the Y'c :vn1 ;a`-iner L'th-rough said retorts, thereby causing thefuel-to -pass vthrough zones of increasing heat,

a gas generator below said container having suitable connection with `the upper part of the combustion fc'hamber to lead generator gas thereto, :means nfor withdrawing the distilled vapors and gases from said retorts, the retorts having discharge :pipes ffor vlead-ing koif 'generated gases, fand SaidcOmbuStion -chamber rhaving -a passage Afrom its 1b'ottcm for discharging combustion gases into saidfrecuperator.

An apparatus .according vto `claim 1, having a gasl'flueffor the purpose of :conducting lgas-from 111i" said gas generator tothe upper fpart :of `the combustionchamber.

EDMUN-.D .KROPJWNIGKL 

